to replace the volunteer forces . these views found support in the influential new south wales commandant , major general edward hutton , however suspicions held by the smaller colonies towards new south wales and victoria stifled the proposal . these reforms remaining un ##res ##olved however , and defence issues were generally given little attention in the debate on the political federation of the colonies . with the exception of western australia , the colonies also operated their own na ##vies . in 1856 , victoria received its own naval vessel , hm ##cs ##s victoria , and its deployment to new zealand in 1860 during the first tara ##na ##ki war marked the first occasion that an australian warship had been deployed overseas . the colonial
to replace the volunteer forces. these views found support in the influential new south wales commandant, major general edward hutton, however suspicions held by the smaller colonies towards new south wales and victoria stifled the proposal. these reforms remaining unresolved however, and defence issues were generally given little attention in the debate on the political federation of the colonies. with the exception of western australia, the colonies also operated their own navies. in 1856, victoria received its own naval vessel, hmcss victoria, and its deployment to new zealand in 1860 during the first taranaki war marked the first occasion that an australian warship had been deployed overseas. the colonial